The 3,000 cranes and letters of support sent by the joint Hawaii Community College and UH Hilo fund-raising and awareness campaign, “Fold a crane, send a prayer to Japan” was received by our contacts at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. Below, you can read their letter to us and view the pictures they sent.

On behalf of the Tohoku University, I would like to thank for the warm-hearted gift of Senba-Zuru (Cranes) from our friends and colleagues in Hilo. The cranes are now displayed at the entrance lobby of the largest building of the campus of Faculty of Science!

Many students, researchers, lecturers, administrative, and professors can see the wonderful and sincere gift every day. They are really fascinating.

Fortunately, we could start the new semester in May 9th, one month later than usual. Most of the students, post-docs have come back to Sendai, and the daily life of the university, namely, lectures, research, examinations, and laughing of the young students also come back.

It was indeed a horrible disaster. Sadly, the tsunami killed three students of our university. The building and a lot of science instruments were also damaged. We are recovering, however, with your sincere help and encouragements, to restart our life of education and research again.

We are impressed very much by the beautiful cranes. You also kindly sent us the photos showing your students and colleagues in University of Hawaii Hilo and Hawaii Community College making the cranes. We would like to thank you again so much. We could see even the messages written in the cranes! Indeed, this is the first Senba-Zuru that Tohoku University received after the earthquake. Everyone that saw the cranes were impressed and expressed his/her thank to you for the heart-warming and encouraging gift. I would appreciate very much your kindness and also your deep understanding for the Japanese culture.

The gift has been announced on the web page of the Faculty of Science. Dean of Faculty of Science, Professor Hiroshi Fukumura received the gift.

(URL: http://scikoho.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post.html)

Toru Yamada, Ph.D.

Professor, Astronomical Institute

Tohoku University

Dean Fukumura recieves the gift to display it in the building of Faculty of Science.